The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal equipment for portable use such as cellular telephone and radiotelephone, and a transparent touch panel switch used therein.
A conventional mobile communication terminal equipment (hereinafter referred to simply as MCTE) for portable use such as cellular telephone and radiotelephone is explained by referring to the drawings.
FIG. 19 is a front view of a conventional MCTE. As shown in FIG. 19, the front side of the housing, that is, an outer case 1 is the operation panel.
A receiver 2 with a built-in speaker and a display unit 3 are formed in the upper part of this operation panel. The display unit 3 is composed of a liquid crystal device (hereinafter referred to simply as LCD) 4.
On the other hand, in the lower part of the operation panel, a transmitter 5 with a built-in microphone used in transmission and an operation button block 6 comprising numeric and other keys are disposed. One of the keys in this operation button block 6 is a decision key 6a for determining each operation. A transparent touch panel switch (hereinafter referred to simply as TTPS) 7 is disposed between the display unit 3 and operation button block 6.
FIG. 20 is a partial sectional view of the MCTE shown in FIG. 19. The LCD 4 composing the display unit 3 is extended to the display unit 3 and lower part of the TTPS 7.
An antenna 8 is disposed at the upper end of the outer case 1. The antenna 8 is contained in the outer case 1 when not calling, and is drawn out to a specified length when calling. Also in this outer case 1, an electric circuit (not shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20) for controlling input and output information is incorporated. The input and output information is transmitted to the LCD 4, operation button block 6, TTPS 7, and antenna 8. FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing the composition of the MCTE including the electric circuit.
As shown in FIG. 21, the LCD 4, operation button block 6, TTPS 7, and antenna 8 are connected to a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to simply as CPU) 9 directly or through a specified circuit. The CPU 9 processes operations, makes judgement, and controls the LCD 4, operation button block 6, TTPS 7, and antenna 8.
That is, the LCD 4 is connected to the CPU 9 through an LCD driver 10, and the TTPS 7, through a transparent touch panel switch driver 11. The signal from the operation button block 6 is directly fed into the CPU 9. The antenna 8 is connected to the CPU 9 through a transmission-reception circuit 12.
Further, a ROM 13 in which specified information is registered preliminarily, and a RAM 14 which can register or delete the telephone number and other information as required are connected to the CPU 9.
FIG. 22 shows the display state of the display unit 3 and TTPS 7 in the initial state of the MCTE not in service. Herein, the initial state is, for example, the state right after turning on the power source of the MCTE.
Referring now to FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, the operation of the MCTE having such configuration is explained. As shown in FIG. 22, the display unit 3 shows a specified initial menu 15 composed of plural items, and a cursor 16 showing which item of the display items is being presently selected. In the portion of the LCD 4 corresponding to the lower position of the TTPS 7, arrows 17 for moving the cursor 16 in a desired direction are shown.
When making a call by using this MCTE, the user first touches the specified area indicated by the arrow 17 of the TTPS 7 by a finger in order to change the display screen from the initial state to a screen for a desired operation. By this touching, the position of the cursor 16 displayed in the display unit 3 is adjusted to a desired item. Then the user pushes the decision key 6a shown in FIG. 19. By this pushing, the selected item is established. The decision signal is sent to the CPU 9.
When recognizing the decision signal, the CPU 9 discriminates the item selected by the cursor 16 of the display unit 3, calls a specified menu screen or the like corresponding to the item from the ROM 13 or RAM 14, and transmits it to the LCD 4 through the LCD driver 10. Then the CPU 9 changes the display message of the LCD 4 including the portion extended to the lower part of the TTPS 7 to the desired one.
The CPU of the conventional MCTE is designed to operate in this manner.
The operation of selecting the item on the display unit 3 is described in detail below. When calling by searching a telephone number registered beforehand, the user operates to change over to the display corresponding to the item xe2x80x9cCalling telephone numberxe2x80x9d from the items of the initial menu 15. The user first touches the specified area indicated by the arrow 17 of the TTPS 7 several times. By this operation, the cursor 16 moves in the specified direction. When the cursor 16 comes to the position of the item xe2x80x9cCalling telephone number,xe2x80x9d the user presses the decision key 6a. 
By this operation, the CPU 9 fetches the information of registered telephone directory from the RAM 14 or ROM 13, transmits the information to the LCD 4 through the LCD driver 10, and changes the display of the LCD 4 including the portion extended to the lower part of the TTPS 7 to the telephone directory and the display capable of searching it.
In this state, plural telephone numbers are shown on the display unit 3. In the portion of the LCD 4 in the lower part of the TTPS 7, the arrow is displayed same as above.
In succession, the user touches the specified area of the TTPS 7 same as mentioned above, adjusts the cursor 16 to a desired telephone number, and pushes the decision key 6a. By this operation, the user can select and establish the desired telephone number.
Thus, when the CPU 9 recognizes that the desired telephone number has been established, the CPU 9 controls to transmit the transmission signal corresponding to the searched and established telephone number through the transmission-reception circuit 12 and antenna 8.
At the same time, the CPU 9 controls the receiver 2 and transmitter 5 not shown in the block diagram in FIG. 21 as specified so as to transmit and receive the input and output signal such as voice through the transmission-reception circuit 12 and antenna 8.
Thus, in the conventional MCTE, when searching a desired item from multiple items, it requires many touch operations on the TTPS 7. That is, the user must push the TTPS 7 once every time moving one item. Therefore, the conventional MCTE is poor in operability. Or if the touch operations are repeated for a long period, sag or flaw may be formed on the upper surface of the TTPS 7. In this state, it is difficult for the user to recognize the display message in the LCD 4 disposed in the lower part of the TTPS 7. Therefore, the user experiences difficulty in manipulating the TTPS 7. These are the problems of the conventional MCTE.
It is hence an object of the invention to present a mobile communication terminal equipment for solving the problems of the prior art and a touch panel switch used therein. The mobile communication terminal equipment and the touch panel switch used therein of the invention are capable of selecting a desired item promptly from the plural items shown in the display unit, and maintaining the excellent controllability for a long period.
The mobile communication terminal equipment of the invention comprises:
a) a display unit showing plural items arranged in a specified pattern, and a cursor indicating the presently selected item,
b) an operation button block including numeric and other keys,
c) a decision key for establishing the selected specified item, and
d) a touch panel switch disposed between the display means and operation button block,
e) a position of the items or the cursor in the display unit is moved according to the sliding direction by a signal which is obtained by sliding on touch panel switch, and a desired item is selected by moving the position of the items or the cursor.